Automatic switch.



F. A. KUNTZ. AUTOMATIC swl'cH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I9 1915.

INVENTOR M ffm/Jl- Aliorneys, i

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m n [Ill WITNESSES @M (laf/r, d/M@ )7M/ew soV `the contacts C, D.

Uhl ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. KUNTZ, OF RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOLD CAR HEATING & LIGHTING COMlANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Application Bled August 19, 1915.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it knownl that I. FRANK A. KUNT/i, a. citizen of the Tnitcd, States of America, residing in Richmond Hill, Longr Island, county oi Queens, and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic switches and has for its object to produce a switch which in itself acts as a magnetic blow-out to destroy arcs.

'My invention consists in attaching to vthe armature or plunger of a magnet a switch or bridge piece of magnetic metal, which is magnetically connected to such armature or plunger and which is adapted to close an electric circuit through two contacts when the magnet is denergized, and when Specicaton o! Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

serial No. 46,283.

withdrawal of the said bridge piece the arcs that would otherwise be created between the bridge piece and the contact pieces C, D are llown out or extinguished by the magnetic It will be seen that when the bridge piece B is closing the circuit through the contact jaws C, D, the magnet is denergized `and the magnet is energied and the said bridge? Figure l is a faceview of a device containing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the vlines 2`-2 Fig. l looking` in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a use of my invention.

that the instant it is desired to break the said circuit the magnet 'is energized and at the same time the magnetic fiux acts to destroy the arcs. This I have found in actua-l use to be an extremely efficient form of automatic switch. I have tested a device with the contact points above the bar so that contact was made when the magnet was energized and the electric circuit was then c1osed,.and breaking oi the electric circuit was caused fby the4 dropping of the core .and bridge when the magnet was deenergized. In a construction of 'this character I have found that with a-current of .two amperes the eroine'l was such that the which it is desired to operate electrically,

According to my invention the magnetic,

instrument which is illustrated as an electromagnet A, contains the usual coil a andy is provided with a. core or-plunger a1, having a core extension or bridge piece B which is formed of magnetic material similar to the core such as iron and which is magnetically connected to the core and is adapted, when the magnet is deinergized, to act as a switch and close -an electric circuit through contact pieces C, D. `When lthe magnet A is energized the core or armature c* is attracted and the circuit is broken by the withdrawal of the bridge piece B from The bridge piece B being formed of magneti.; metal and magnetically connected to the core a.1 substantially becomes part thereof and acts to extend the magnetic field so that upon the In the present illustration 'the device is one which is operated in connection with heat ing or Ventilating systems, and is controlled.I

A shunt circuit F is connected to the main circuit Emd in this shunt circuit the magnet A is situated. Suitable means for con trolling the magnet so that the sameshall be energized at desired times are provided,and

such 'means as illustrated comprise a thermoswitch 'H passes out of contact with the terininal iand breaks the. shunt circuit. Thereupon the. magnet is deinergized and the core u.' drops causingthe bridge B to close the niain circuit l') through contacts C, D, whereupon the apparatus operated iu the inuin cirlaiit is caused to work` 'Yhen the al'iartiueiit heci'ruies sulliciently heated the thermostat makes contact by its switch I-l with the terminal la. energizing the magnet A. and retractiug tlu` core. u.' and causing bridge B lo break the electric circuit at C, D. .-\t this time. under ordinary circumstances excessive anfing would take place between the bridge. and the contact jaws C, l). This is prevented however by my invention through the factthat the bridge piece B is of magnetic metal and is attached to the core u' so as to substantially form part thereof and thereby the magnetic field is extended and the magnetic lines or flux act to extin guish the arcs which would otherwise be formed between the bridge piece and Contact jaws.

upon an insulated b ase plate I which may be formed of slate and is located within a suitable container as for instance the metal cabinet J which may bcformed of pressed steel and which is lined with a suitable lining K which may be formed of asbestos board. A cover .l1 is provided which has n .lifting knob j and a catch j' in the form of a Aboss which engages a corr onding bo j on the cabinet. The cover-'is formed with cars j which are pivotally mounted in' oorresponrling cars y" on the body. The magnet A- is provided with a shell L having a. screw cap N, which parts may be formed with cast i iron and this cap hasan inward extension N1. The tore or plunger a.l Ahas a. Soft rubber washer Z which forms a. stop for the core. The coil a is inclosed on its inside and top and bottom by a bobbin O which may be 'formed of suitable material such as fiber or bake'litc and is provided with a brass coreslecve I.

The contact jaws C, D are connected to the main circuit E so that when the bridge. B is dropped the said circuit is closed'. These contact jaws arcpreferably made of copper and are illustrated as Lshaped asY seen in side vicw'in Fig. 2, having at their upper ends connections to the wires of the circuit E.

I prefer to spring contact irush b which, when the ma net is energized and the bridge B is witgdrawn, springs away from the bridge as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By means of the-said spring brush b' a wiping contact is obtained on the contact jaws C, D, which is desirable. The bridge B preferably is provided with means for holding it in proper relation and this may consist of a' guide i-'od Q' suitably attached to the said The magnet A is illustrated as mounted,

rovidc the bridge B. with a electrical connection with sai bridge, and which enters a channel in the magnet A. The shunt l'` is connected to the terminals of the coil a at R and 'lhc construction illustrated provides for an extension of the. magnetic field so that the flux acts elliciently to blow out arcs bctween the bridge and contacts when the magnet is energized. This may be due to the greater magnetic conductivity in the shell compared with the bridge, which causes the latter to quickly become saturateii'l, or it might be duc to an extension of the magnetic field caused by 'thc saturation of the parts of the iron' circuit. By my construction the magnetic lines of force normally pass throu h the bridge when the magnet is enei'giz so that the -contacts are normally exposed to the magnetic lines of force.

I have described a desirablermanner in which' my invention may be constructed and used, but the use of the invention is not limitedl to the particular system .illustrated nor is it limited in structuralv features to the details illustrated und described, as such details may be changed within the limits of the appended claims.

What I claim 15;-

1. An automaticl switch comprising an electromagnet'having the terminals of its coil adapted fo connection in' an electric circuit, 'amugnetic movable member, a pair of stationary contacts'adapted to be connected in nnvelectriccrcuit and lying within the magnetic field, bridge magnetiillyconnected to the movable member of Isaid magnet und adapted to close the circuitthrou h the said contacts when the magnet is enervized,. and adapted to break the circuit 'through saidcontacts as the magnet is ene rgized, said last'men-- tioned circuit normally remainin closed until broken by said bridge, bridge formed -of mugneticmatenal and serving to'extend the magnetic field to the of'th contacts -andfactingasa magnetic magnet is energized.

blow ,ont to the arcs When'the 2.' An automaticswitch lcomprising an.:

electromagnet', having the terminals of its coilh adapted for connection in an electric circuit, ev magnetic' core', a pair of stationary contacts adapted 'tobe connected in an electric `a magnetic' metal'bridge piece magnetically connected t'o the core and serving to extend the magnetic vfield to the vicimty of the contacts and adapted when the magnet is'dener ed to make close an electric circuit therethrough, and

' when the mgnet' is energized to break said circuit and to blow -out the arcs, said last mentioned' circuit normally remaining closed until -broken by said bridge.

E. A n automatic 'switch comprising ai contacts and iso magnet, a movable magnetic core, a pair of stationary contacts adapted to be connected to an electric circuit, a bridge constructed of magnetic metal and. magnetically eonuected to the core of the .magnet, said bridge adapted when the magnet is deenergized to close the circuit through said contacts and when the magnet is energized to break said circuit and blow out the arcs.

4. An automatic switch comprising a. magnet, a movable magnetic core, a pair of stationary contacts adapted to be connected in an electric circuit, a bridge constructed of magnetic met-al and magnetically-connected to the core of the magnet, and serving to extend the magnetic field to the vicinity of the contacts, a. springbrush carried by the bridge and adapted when the magnet is deinergized to close the eircuit through said contacts and when the magnet is energivedV to break said circuit.-

5. An automatic switch comprising en scribing witnesses.

eleetromagnet, a central plunger therefor, an electric circuit connected to the coil of said electromagnet, a pair of'separated contacts adapted to be connected in an electric circuit, a bridge adapted to make and break connection with said contacts, said bridge formed lof magnetic metal and attached to the said plun er and serving to extend the magnetic fiel to the vicinity of said contacts whereby when the magnet is denergized the bridge closes the circuit through said contacts, and when the mag- 'net is energized is withdrawn and breaks said circuit and acts as a magnetic blow out to destroy the arcs.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub- FRANK A. KUNTZ.V Witnesses i F. T. KITCHEN, F, BURNS. 

